Better with Real Salt

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[betterwithrealsalt]

Crispy (Soaked) Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

The seeds from one large pumpkin

2-3 Tbs. olive oil or melted coconut oil

1 tsp. sugar, optional (unrefined is fine)

scant tsp. Real Salt 

Directions: 

Start by rinsing the seeds in colander and try to get the bulk of the orange pulp off. This will take slightly longer and be slightly slimier than you hope, but you’ll get through it.

Cover the seeds with warm water and some salt, maybe 1 Tbs to 4 cups if you’re measuring (but I usually don’t). Allow them to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Drain water off and lay out on cookie sheets to dry for 8 hours to overnight, if you have the time. It still works out if you don't.

NOTE: if not soaking the seeds, just start here & decrease bake time by 10-30 minutes, depending on what temperature you choose to bake.

In a bowl, toss seeds with oil and spices listed above.

Once the seeds are coated, you have two options: preserve the enzymes or kill them for flavor.

*Option A: Preserve the enzymes, which help digestion and are all around good for you, by dehydrating the seeds at no higher than 150F. This may take anywhere from 12-24 hours. Sometimes more. You’ll know they’re done when you taste one and it crunches satisfyingly in your mouth.

*Option B: Flavor, but less nutrition. In my book, the flavor of the roasted pumpkin seeds can’t be beat. I choose to roast our seeds in the oven. It takes at least an hour at 300 degrees. If you're baking other things anyway, put a tray of seeds in, too, for about 30-40 minutes at 350F or 20-30 minutes at 400F.

Stir every 10-20 minutes, depending on how hot your oven is. There's great variation in seed size, so this process includes some guessing and checking...which is a delicious way to cook. :)

I recommend the lower temperature, because you’re baking the soaked seeds for a longer period of time to fully dry them out, and burnt pumpkin seeds are no good at all. There's less margin for error with a lower baking temp. If the pumpkin seeds get dry but not toasty, you can always turn the temperature up to 400F for 5-10 minutes at the end of the baking time.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Katie Kimball at KitchenStewardship.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Homemade "Wheat Thins"- Style Crackers

Ingredients: 

1 ¼ c. whole wheat flour (can use spelt flour, traditional whole wheat or white whole wheat)

1 ½ Tbs. sugar (or honey)

½ tsp. Real Salt

¼ tsp. paprika

4 Tbs. butter

¼ c. water

¼ tsp. vanilla

Real Salt for topping

Directions: 

1. Mix ‘em: Combine the whole wheat flour, sugar, salt and paprika in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter thoroughly into the dry mixture until it looks like large crumbs, no bigger than a pea. Some people use a food processor to cut in the fat, but I prefer to save dishes and keep it all in one bowl. Combine the water and vanilla in a measuring cup, plus honey if using, and add to the flour mixture. Mix well until combined and dough forms, but only as long as necessary for the most tender crackers.

2. Prep ‘em: Use parchment paper, a lightly greased cookie sheet, or an ungreased baking stone. For crackers, I would HIGHLY recommend using a baking stone (I love my

Pampered Chef Rectangular Stone

), or at least parchment paper or a

Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

. I roll the dough right out on the stone or mat, after flouring it lightly, and bake them. Yep, right on the stone. That way I don’t have to worry about rumpled crackers as I move the fragile dough. People say, “Those are homeMADE?” because most of my crackers have perfect shape and are sooooo delectably thin.

3. Roll ‘em: Only use one fourth of the dough at a time. Cover all your surfaces with flour and roll the dough as evenly as you can. You might flip the dough to make it easier to roll, but I don’t always have to. Keep rolling until the dough is as thin as humanly possible without tearing. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife and cut the dough into squares or triangles, about 1½ inches each. Fork pokes make them look extra authentic. If you want all beautifully square crackers, you can trim the edges square. I skip the trimming and just deal with weird shaped crackers. Those go to the toddler right away! (Note: be sure you don’t cut your silicone mat!)

4. Bake ‘em: Make sure your oven is preheated to 400 F. If you have used a mat or parchment paper, just slide it onto a cookie sheet. If you don’t have either, you’ll have to move each cracker individually. Sprinkle the squares lightly with real salt. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.Bake the crackers, one sheet at a time, until crisp and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. (If you want to do two trays at once, you can put one on top and one and bottom and switch them halfway through the baking time.) If some of the thinner crackers on the edges brown too quickly, remove them and return the remaining crackers to the oven to finish baking. These crackers bake quickly, so watch them closely – even 30 seconds can turn them from golden brown to toast!

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Katie Kimball at KitchenStewardship.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Vegetable Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 c. cooked, pureed squash

4-5 eggs

2 Tbs. coconut flour OR ¼ c. whole wheat flour OR almond flour OR ⅓ c. sourdough starter OR brown rice flour

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. cloves

¼ tsp. ginger

¼ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. Real Salt

1-2 Tbs. maple syrup (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Instructions

Separate eggs. In one bowl, whip egg whites a few minutes until frothy/foamy.

In a separate bowl, combine yolks with squash, flour, sweetener, vanilla and spices. Fold in egg whites.

Fry slowly in lots of fat in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat OR on a griddle with a bit of butter at about 300-350F. Watch for the bottoms to begin browning when the edges look dry and flip once. If you find the pancakes are very thin and breaking apart, add a bit more flour or sourdough starter to the batter.

The lazy way: Instead of separating the eggs, just mix everything together willy nilly in one bowl. The pancakes might not have as much height or fluff, but they’re still perfectly fine, especially for a weekday morning! I often use my stick blender to whiz it all together, especially if I have un-pureed squash or sweet potato.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Katie Kimball at KitchenStewardship.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

“Tastes Like Pizza” Breakfast Hash Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. fat of choice (bacon grease is excellent of course)

1 medium leek, sliced

½-1 turnip, peeled and diced

½-1 celeriac, diced (celery root)

½ fennel bulb, sliced 

about a cup of bok choy, 

white and green parts, roughly chopped (or any leafy green you have around)

1-2 cloves garlic, 

Minced Real Salt and pepper to taste

½ -1 tsp. smoked paprika

¼-1/2 c. cooked sausage crumbles

Directions:

1. In a hot skillet, saute the turnip, leek, celeriac, fennel, and white part of the bok choy in the fat.

2. Stir around for a few minutes, then allow to cook on medium-low, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the diced vegetables are soft.

3. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the pan.

4. Add the sausage, leafy greens, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika and stir until garlic is fragrant and greens are wilted, about 2 minutes more.

5. Serve hot with optional diced tomatoes, chopped parsley, or sliced green onion on top. (I added feta, but that's not Whole30.)

6. Add an egg if you like.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Katie Kimball at KitchenStewardship.com 

[betterwithrealsalt]

Buttermilk Spice Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. organic sugar (yeah, the white stuff)

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. unbleached flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. Real Salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 c. buttermilk

Frosting:

1 egg + 2 yolks

3/4 c. organic sugar (or 1/2 c. honey)

1/4 c. water (omit if using honey)

1 1/2 c. butter, soft

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and the sugar together in a large bowl. 

2. Add the egg yolks (not the whites, which should be in their own bowl).  Mix well.  Add the vanilla too.

3. Sift the flour, Real Salt, spices, and baking soda onto parchment paper or a flexible cutting board.

4. Add the flour and buttermilk, half of each at a time. 

5. Stir together.  You will have a very thick batter.

6. Whip the egg whites in their bowl until soft peaks form.  Then, gently fold them into the batter with a spatula.  Gently.  We want lots of air.

7. Then, scoop into muffin trays to bake.  Bake at 350 for 20 – 25 minutes, until golden brown and springy.  This makes 24 cupcakes

8. Once the cupcakes are cool, you can frost them.  Don’t do it while they’re warm because the buttercream will melt!

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Potato Skins

Ingredients:

4 – 6 medium potatoes, wash, poked, and baked

2 tbsp. butter

4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

2 – 3 strips of bacon, cooked until crisp

Green onions, sour cream, etc. for serving

Real Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Scoop the skins out and lay them on a baking tray.

2. Put a small piece of butter into each of them, about 1/2 tsp.

3. Stick this in the oven at 350 for 5 – 10 minutes until the butter is melted.  Then put the shredded cheese in them.  

4. Stick this back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted.  Alternately, still it under a broiler on low for about the same, until the cheese is melted and they’re slightly browned.

5. Remove from the oven and top with bacon, green onions, Real Salt and serve with sour cream, if you like.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Carrot Cake Waffles

Ingredients:

3 c. white whole wheat flour

3 1/2 c. buttermilk, divided

1/2 c. butter

2 eggs

1/2 c. sucanat

1 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. Real Salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. shredded carrots

Directions:

1. The night before you want to make waffles, put your flour (freshly ground if you can) in a big glass bowl.

2. Pour in about 3 c. buttermilk, enough to make a very soft dough.

3. Stir it up, then cover it and let it sit at room temperature overnight.

4. In the morning, shred up your carrots.  It’s about 2 medium.

5. Pour the remaining 1/2 c. of buttermilk in a large blender. Add eggs, Real Salt, baking powder, vanilla and cinnamon. 

6. Start blending the liquid ingredients. 

7. Start adding the soaked dough in spoonfuls to the running blender.  I have no idea if this is the “right” way to make soaked waffles, but it’s how I’ve done it for months and it works for me.

8. Keep blending.  Add your sucanat.  I normally add it with the liquid ingredients but forgot this time.

9. After all the dough has been added and everything is blended, add the carrots and mix. 

10. Pour the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Close the waffle iron, cook for about 10 minutes or until done.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. sucanat

3/4 c. heavy cream (I used grass-fed, raw)

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 – 1 tsp. Real Salt

Directions:

1. Add your sucanat to a medium sauce pan.

2. Add the butter. Turn to medium heat and cook and stir this until the sucanat melts completely and it turns into a thick liquid.

3. Cook without stirring now for 5 – 10 minutes over medium heat (it should be bubbling), until the mixture reaches the softball stage.

4. You’ll notice that the edges that are bubbling up are slightly browned — the sugar is caramelizing a bit.  That’s okay.  Make sure the heat isn’t too high or it will burn, and quickly.

5. Test the mixture in a small bowl of cold water to see if it holds together loosely.  This is how you know it is at the softball stage.

6. Remove from the heat briefly and stir in the cream all at once.

7. Now it is basically a liquid.  Return it to the heat and allow it to come to a boil.  Because of the high sugar content, it won’t curdle.

8. Boil for 10 minutes without stirring.  It will be thickening now into an actual “sauce.”

9. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.  Add the vanilla.

10. Add the Real Salt, a little at a time, tasting until it’s how you want. 

11. And that’s it!  Pour it into a glass dish to store.  You have yummy butterscotch sauce.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Creamy Chicken Broccoli Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

4 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. flour (sprouted, unbleached, brown rice, even navy bean — your choice)

4 c. chicken stock

1 4 – 6 oz. chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 lb. fresh broccoli, chopped

3 – 4 medium baked potatoes

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1 c. milk

Real Salt and pepper to taste

Cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions for serving

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Melt the butter and add the onions. 

2. Saute until softened.  Add the flour and stir it up to form a roux.

3. Add the chicken stock and stir until smooth.

4. Add your broccoli and chicken, plus some salt, pepper, and parsley. Allow the soup to simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, until the chicken and broccoli are completely cooked.  Then add the flesh of the baked potatoes.

5. Reserve the potato skins! Stir the soup, and add the milk.  If the soup is not as thick as you want, whisk a little flour into the cold milk before adding it to thicken the soup further.

6. Serve the soup as soon as the potato is heated through and it is as thick as you want.  Less than five minutes after adding the final ingredients!  Yes, the soup comes together quickly.

7. Add some cooked, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, and/or green onions to the top of the soup.  Delicious.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

White Pizza

Ingredients:

One recipe pizza dough (will make 2 pizzas)

4 – 6 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. Real Salt

2 c. mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Put some butter, about 2 – 3 tbsp. per pizza, onto your pre-baked crust.

2. Melt the butter and spread it over the pizza, using a spoon 

3. Sprinkle on the spices, dividing them between the two pizzas.

4. Sprinkle the cheese on.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes — it doesn’t take as long without sauce.  Then it’s done — and yummy! You can also add other ingredients as you please.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey or grass-fed beef

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup onion

½ cup brown rice, uncooked

28 oz. tomato puree

½ tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

½ tsp. Real Salt (or to taste)

¼ tsp. pepper (or to taste)

4 green peppers

Mozzarella cheese, opt.*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook the rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown the meat, onions, garlic, and olive oil together. 

2. Add spices and tomato puree; let the mixture simmer for 10 – 15 minutes to absorb the flavors. 

3. Add the cooked rice to meat and tomato mixture. Cut green peppers in half, deseed, and wash. Place peppers in a baking dish and stuff with mixture. 

4. Bake 30 – 40 minutes, or until peppers are tender. If cheese is desired, add it in the last 5 minutes or so of baking time. Serves 4.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Healthy Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients:

1 c. navy bean flour

1/4 c. coconut flour

1/2 c. acorn squash puree

4 eggs

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1/2 c. sucanat (or 1/3 c. honey)

1/4 c. water

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. Rea Salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

1. Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl (flours, cocoa powder, Real Salt, baking soda, honey).

2.  Add the eggs, water, oil, vanilla, and squash.

3. Stir until completely mixed and smooth.

4. Add to a lined muffin pan evenly, cups will be about 3/4 full.

5. Bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Kale Chips

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale (I had just over a lb.)

Bacon grease (about 1/4 – 1/2 c.)

Real Salt

Directions:

1. Remove all the leaves from the stems, and place them in a colander.

2. Rinse the kale thoroughly to get any dirt or bugs off it.  Then, it’s time to toss it in the bacon grease!  Warm it gently if it’s solidified; it needs to be liquid for this.

3. Toss until lightly coated, then transfer to a baking sheet.

4. Spread it out so that it’s a single layer as much as possible.  Bake at 350 for 10 – 15 minutes, checking often in the last few minutes so it doesn’t burn.  Remove from the oven when it’s lightly crispy.  Transfer it to a plate to cool, and use Real Salt liberally.

5. That’s it!  When it’s cool, transfer it to a bag for keeping, and snacking.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Soaked Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

3 c. whole wheat flour

3 tbsp. coconut or olive oil

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 c. water

2 tsp. Real Salt

3 tsp. yeast

Directions:

1. About 15 hours before you want to eat pizza, combine the flour, oil, and water in a glass bowl.  I usually do this at night, and we eat the pizza for lunch or dinner.  Occasionally I do it at breakfast time if it will be dinner.

2. Stir this up to form a dough.  Use less water for stiffer dough (it will be crispier) and more water for a softer dough (it will be chewier).  I usually don’t really measure, I just add a little more water until I achieve the consistency that I want.  It’s pretty flexible, really.

3.  Cover this and set it in a warm place overnight or for 8 – 12 hours.

4. The next day (or later), sprinkle with Real Salt and yeast.

4. Use your hands to knead this in until it’s well mixed (you shouldn’t see anymore yeast granules) and smooth and elastic.

5. Allow the dough to rise for a couple hours, until doubled.  Soaked dough takes longer to rise than unsoaked dough.

6. Preheat the oven to 425.  Spread the dough on a baking sheet.  This will make roughly one 18×13 thin-ish crust, or two 12″ round pans.  We often do a really thin large pizza and then a smaller thin pizza (with no sauce, for the kids).

7. At this point, bake the dough for 5 minutes.  Prick it with a fork first if you remember to keep it flat; I usually forget and it works fine.  Once it’s pre-baked, top it however you like and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes until the toppings are done and the crust is golden brown.  Alternately, once it’s pre-baked and topped, wrap it up and freeze it to bake later (about 20 minutes from frozen).

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Quick Beef and Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (preferably grass-fed)

4 – 5 medium potatoes, thinly sliced

4 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. onion powder

Salt to taste with Real Salt

Directions:

1. Combine beef and potatoes in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Cook until the beef is done.  Add spices.

3. Continue to cook until the potatoes are soft and maybe a little bit crispy.   Add the butter partway through this, because the grease from the meat isn’t enough to finish cooking the potatoes.

4. Serve. 

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Homemade Electrolyte Drink

Ingredients:

3 – 4 slices fresh ginger (needs to be fresh; dried does not have the same potency)

1 c. water + extra

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp. Real Salt

1 – 2 tbsp. raw honey

Directions:

1. Slice the ginger and put it in a small saucepan with water.  Since my slices were really big, I used 2.  It’s about the equivalent of 4 smaller slices.

2. Put it on the stove and boil for about 5 minutes, then let it sit and steep for an additional 5.

3. Meanwhile, juice your 1/2 lemon.  Use fresh juice if at all possible and don’t use bottled juice that contains preservatives.

4. Pour the hot ginger tea into a glass jar.  In this case, I’m using a quart mason jar, but I usually use a 3-c. glass tomato jar I saved.  Then, add your honey.

5. Add the lemon juice and the Real Salt.

6. Put a lid on it and shake it up to dissolve the honey and sea salt.

7. Then, add enough water or ice (or both) to make about 3 cups. 

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com

[betterwithrealsalt]

Pizza Balls

Ingredients:

4 c. white whole wheat flour

1/2 c. olive oil

1 1/4 c. water

2 tsp. Real Salt

3 tsp. yeast

1 lb. mozzarella, shredded

1/4 lb. pepperoni, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Directions:

1. The night before you want to make these, mix the flour, oil, and water together in a bowl.  Cover it, and set it aside.  This is the soaking step, and we do this to neutralize the phytic acid (which makes it healthier and more digestible). 

2. The next day, add the Real Salt and the yeast and stir it together.  Knead it for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.  Return it to the bowl and place it in a warm location.  Allow it to rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

3. Punch it down.  Shred your mozzarella, if it doesn’t come that way. 

4. Chop up your pepperoni into bite-sized pieces.  I started with Applegate Farms’ sandwich-size pepperoni slices.  It is nitrate-free and uncured.  I chopped each slice into 16 pieces.

5. Now, you could choose to add diced green peppers, sliced and sauteed mushrooms, cooked sausage, or whatever other pizza toppings you prefer. 

6. Take three small pieces of dough and roll them into balls.  1″ balls work great in regular-sized muffin trays (which should be greased), and 1/2″ balls work great in mini-muffin trays.

7. Grab your three dough balls in your hand. Add a tbsp. or so of cheese and 4 – 5 pepperoni pieces. Mash it all together into a rough ball-shape, with the toppings mostly in the center.  Put this into the muffin trays.

8. Repeat until you fill all your muffin trays.  

9. Let this rise for about an hour.  Preheat the oven to 425 (but don’t accidentally put them in the oven to rise and forget that when you go to preheat!)  Bake the pizza balls for about 15 minutes.

10. When they’re done, pop them out and serve them with tomato sauce for dipping, or let them cool completely and put them in a bag and freeze.  They can be reheated by placing them separated on a tray and baking at 400 for 5 – 10 minutes.

You can find this, and other delicious recipes from Kate Tietje at modernalternativemama.com